Mail-handling apparatus.



M. M. MILLER, 9. s. STEINBERGERA: w. H. HARGRAVES.

MAIL HANDLING APPARATUS.

APPLIOATIOR FILED 001'. so, 1909.

- Patented May 10, 1910.

4 SHEETS-BHBET 1.

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ATTORNEYS ANDREW 8 GRAHAM co, woraumusnnpuzas, WASHINGTON, n. c

MILLBR, G. S. STEINBBRGBR & W. H. HARGRAVES.

MAIL HANDLING APPARATUS. APPLICATION TILED OUT. 30, 1909.

' Patented May 10, 1910. Ens-Mann 2.

v v {4 12 A R 15 ANDREW a. GRAHAM co PMmu-LmocMPHERs. WASHINGTON, u Q

ATTORNEYS M. M. MILLER, G. S. STEINBERGER & W. H.

APPLICATION FILED OOT. 30,1909. 957 935 Patented May 10, 1910. 4SHEETS-SHEET 3. 64

ATTORNEYS rmazw n GRAHAM 00., miommhzosnwnsvs, v/Asmnc oN, u. c

M. M. MILLER, G. S. STEINBERGER & W. H. HARGRAVES. MAIL HANDLINGAPPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED OOT. 30,1909. 957,235. Patented May 10, 1910.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

ANDREW a. c'mmm co, PHOTO-UTL'OGRAFHERS. WASHINGTON. v.0.

UNiT

STATES PAN FFTCE.

MILO MONROE MILLER, GEORGE SOLOMON GRAVES, 0F ALLENTOVIN, PENNSYLVANIA,ASSIGNORS OF ONE-FOURTH TO.

STEINBERGER, AND WILLIAM H. HAR- GHARLES M. W. KECK, 0F ALLENTOWN,PENNSYLVANIA.

MAIL-HANDLING- APPARATUS.

This invention relates to mail handling ratus of this class which isused with mail or other railroad cars for receiving and delivering mailbags and like packages, and which comprises reversible means forreapparatus, and more particularly to appa- 'ceiving and delivering thebags, the means being adapted to be removably associated with the car orwith a support arranged adjacent to the track.

The object of the invention is to provide simple and efficient mailhandling apparatus, by means of which mail bags can be delivered to andreceived from rapidly moving trains traveling in either direction alonga railroad track, and by means of] which mail bags are securely held inposition after being received and delivered, so that there is no dangerof the bags being drawn under the train and destroyed or injuredthereby, the receiving device being provided with means for cushioningthe engagement thereof with the mail bag.

A further object of the invention is to i provide apparatus of the classdescribed,i the operation of which obviates excessive wear of the mailbags and the apparatus, in which both the receiving and the deliverj ingdevices are reversible so that they can 1 be used at both sides of acar, and at both I sides of the track, when the train is travel- I ingin either direction, and in which the l mechanism carried by therailroad car, or I that arranged adjacent to the track, doesl notrequire manipulation while it is in the l act of receiving ordelivering.

The invention consists in the construction and combination of parts tobe more fully described hereinafter and particularly set forth in theclaims. l Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming apart of this specification, in which similar characters of ref-Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed. October 30,

Patented May 10, 191d.

1909. Serial No. 525,574.

erence indicate corresponding parts in all the views, and in which-Figure 1 is an elevation showing a mail car having an embodiment of ourinvention applied thereto, and traveling upon a track adjacent to whichis located a further embodiment of our invention, the two devices beingadapted to cooperate; Fig. 2 is a simi lar view showing certain of theparts in different positions; Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of part ofthe car, showing the receiving and delivering apparatus associatedtherewith, and illustrating in plan view, similar devices arrangedadjacent to the track; Fig. 4 is a partial, longitudinal section of aform of the receiving device associated with a car; Fig. 5 is atransverse section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is an end view ofthe device shown in Fig. &; Fig. 7 is a longitudinal section showing thedelivering device associated with a car; Fig. 8 is a plan view of thedevice shown in Fig. 7; Fig. 9 is a transverse section on the line 99 ofFig. 7 Fig. 10 is an enlarged, transverse section on the line 1010 ofFig. 9, showing a detail of the delivering mechanism; Fig. 11 is anenlarged, longitudinal section of a further detail of the deliveringmechanism; Fig. 12 is an enlarged, front elevation of the upper part ofthe mechanism arranged adjacent to the car track; Fig. 13 is an endelevation of the device shown in Fig. 12; Fig. 14: is a front elevationof a ring used in connection with the mail bag, which facilitates thehan dling of the bag; and Fig. 15 is a side elevation of the ring shownin Fig. 1 1.

Before proceeding to a more detailed explanation of our invention, itshould be clearly understood that the present form of the deviceconstitutes an improvement over that shown in the United States PatentNo. 902,986, issued to Milo M. Miller and George S. Steinberger, anddated November 3, 1908. As will appear more clearly hereinafter, certainof the constructive details have been materially altered to increase theefficiency of the apparatus as well as its flexibility in use, i. 6., topermit the various parts to be reversed at will and to be used at bothsides of the track, and at both sides of the car. These improvementsalso tend to render the delivery and receipt of the mail bags morecertain, as well as to obviate still further, the wear and tear upon thebags and the apparatus, incident to the operation of the latter.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, we have shown for example,a mail car 10 of any suitable form, arranged to travel upon track rails11. The car 10 has at each side a door-way 12 having a frame 13 ofconventional type. Near the sill of the door, the frame has stubs 14each carrying upwardly disposed hinge pins 15. A movable support 16 hasextensions 17 provided with openings by means of which it is journaledupon the hinge pins 15, so that the support can swing, as is indicatedmost clearly in dotted lines in Fig. 3. The support is preferablycentrally cut away for the purpose of decreasing the weight. A catch 18of any suitable form serves to lock the swinging support, within thedoorway. It will be understood that it can be lifted from the hinge pinsand moved from one doorway to the other, each of which is provided withstubs 1 1 for the purpose. W e employ with this form of the device adelivering craule 19 similar to that shown in the abovementioned patentbut differing somewhat therefrom in form. The present cradle issubstantially symmetrical so that it can be used at both sides of thecar, and has in the side walls, openings 20 adapted to receive upwardlycurved supporting hooks 21 of the support 16. The cradle hasfurthermore, in the side walls thereof, slots 22 through which areadapted to project U- shaped members or staples 23 of the support, intowhich can be inserted locking pins 24, each flexibly associated by meansof a chain 25 or the like, with an eye 26 of the support, as is shownmost clearly in Fig. 7. In this way, the cradles can be secured againstaccidental displacement. The support 16 has two of the staples orU-shaped members 23, so that the cradles can be reversed, the hooks 21being so located with respect to the members 22 that this reversal ispossible. -We prefer to provide furthermore, in the side walls of thecradles, openings 27 to permit a hand to be inserted through the sidewall of the cradle to ad just the mail bag, or for other like purposes.Each cradle is open at the rear, and has the bottom or floor 27 upwardlycurved. The front wall 28 which is substantially perpendicular to thefloor, and in a normal position. of the cradle is vertical, is spacedinwardly from the front edges of the side walls, and has near the upperedge a bar 29 provided with openings 30 adapted to receive the shank orstem 31 of a mail bag holding device 32. Near the bottom, the front wall28 has a transverse socket base 33, having openings 34 adapted toreceive the lower end of the shank 31, so that the bag-holding device issecurely positioned.

At each of the openings 3st the socket base carries a barrel 35, havinga threaded portion 86 positioned in a suitably threaded opening of thebase. stud 3'7 is movably located in the barrel and projects into theopening 34, being normally projected into the opening through the agencyof a spring 38, held in place by means of a cap 3%) carried by thebarrel. The shank of the bagholding device is preferably provided with asuitable recess or groove 40, into which the pointed end of the stud 37can slip to lock the shank resiliently against casual dis placement.

At the upper end, the bag-holding device has a laterally disposed head41, which is bifurcated and has positioned thereunder a block 42. By theblock are carried the ends of mutually inclined spring arms 43, the freeextremities of which are on wardly disposed, and which serve to holdtherebetween the neck 1% of a ring 45 used in connection with mail bags,and having a catch 46 adapted to receive and removably hold the eye 17of a mail bag 48. The catch 16 may be of any suitable form, and as shownfor example, in Figs. 14 and 15, may have a spring-pressed tongue 19.The ring 45, as will appear more clearly hereinafter, is employed toreceive the mail bag catching arm of the apparatus.

e can employ in connect-ion with our invention, any suitable form ofsupport for positioning the necessary parts of the apparatus adjacent tothe railway track. As shown for example, this support may consist of asuitable base 50 preferably adjustable toward and away from the trackand carrying an upright or post 51 upon which is mounted a support 52corresponding to the support 16 and preferably vertically adjustable,owing to the provision of slots 53 which receive holding bolts 54. Thesupport 52 has hooks 55 corresponding to the hooks 21, and staples orU-shaped members 56 corresponding to the members 23. A cradle 19 is usedin connection with the support 52 and is in every particular similar tothe cradle 19 used in connection with the railroad car, so that theseparts are interchangeable.

The railroad car, at one side of each doorway, has a socket member 57provided with a transverse bore 58 and having a flange 59 by means ofwhich it is screwed or bolted to the door frame. A barrel 60 having athreaded nick 61, is mounted by means of the latter at a correspondinglythreaded opening of the socket, and has therein a stud 62 normallyprojected toward the bore by means of a spring 63. The barrel has a cap641- holding a threaded spring-adjusting member 65 formed so that it canbe conveniently manipulated. A rod 66 has a reduced part 67 movablyreceived by the bore and provided with a longitudinal groove 68 adaptedto receive the end of the stud 62, so that it is resiliently heldagainst rotation.

At the opposite side of each door-way is mounted a support 69, having abore 70 adapted to receive the end of the rod 66 opposite that which isreduced in thickness. The support has a flange or extension 71, boltedor otherwise fastened to the door frame. The support has transverseopenings 7 2, adapted to receive a locking pin 73, which holds the rod66 against longitudinal movement in one direction. It will be understoodthat owing to the provision of the educed part 67, the rod is heldagainst longitudinal movement in the opposite direction. Intermediateits ends the rod 66 has a lateral extension 74, preferably integraltherewith and carrying likewise, preferably integral, oppositelyextending arms 7 5. These consist of downwardly disposed parts 76,outwardly curved and laterally disposed parts 7 6 and upwardly offsetextensions 77, the extremities 78 of which are preferably outwardlycurved. Each arm further, has at the part 76, a resilient bufier member79 for a purpose which will appear more clearly hereinafter.

Mounted upon each of the supports 52 are spaced sockets 80, eachreceiving the end of a rotatable rod 81 having an extension 82 andcarrying arms 83 exactly similar to the arms 75. One of the sockets 80has a barrel 84 in which is a resiliently controlled stud 85 projectinginto a suitable groove 86 of the rod 81 and controlled by a manuallyadjustable member 87. Each support has associated therewith a lockingpin 88 corresponding to the pin 24: and secured by means of a chain 89to. an eye 90 of the support, and serving to lock the delivering cradlein position.

The operation of the device is as follows: When a mail bag is to bedelivered from a train or to the same, it is placed in the cradle withthe neck positioned between the resilient arms 13 and projectingupwardly above the head 41 of the bag-holding device, and with its ringat substantially right angles to the direction of movement of the train.The receiving device is so positioned that its arms extend outwardly,the rod being held in position by the resiliently-controlled stud. Whenthe train passes the stationary apparatus, the forward arm passesthrough the ring and the latter is brought into engagement with thebuffer of the arm and remains upon the arm. The shock incident to theengagement of the parts is largely absorbed by the buffer of the arm,and the ring assumes a position upon the part 76", the bag hanging fromthe arm. The shock of engagement, together with the weight of the bag,swings the rod downward so that the arms are underneath the same, in theposition indicated in Fig. 2. The bag can subsequently be removed in anysuitable manner from the receiving arm. Needless to say the arrangementof the parts depends upon the direction of travel, and whether the bagis being transferred to a car or from the same, both operations beingpossible simultaneously.

It will be understood that owing to the provision of the swingingsupport 16, the mail bag can be arranged in the cradle thereof when thesame is located within the car, as indicated in dotted outline in Fig.3. After the bag is suitably placed within the cradle, the support isswung outwardly into its operative position and is secured in place bymeans of the rod 18. It will be understood that each rod 66 can beremoved by withdrawing the locking pin 7 3 and sliding the rod in thedirection of its length until the reduced part 67 is free of the socket57. In this way the rod 66 can be moved from one side of the car to theother as the exigencies of the service demand.

A suitable implement can be provided for removing the mail bags from thecatching arms mounted upon the car to facilitate the removal of the bagsinto the car. Vie prefer to provide the part 74 rigid with the rod 66,with an extension 7 L projecting inwardly toward the car and serving asa handle by means of which the catching arms can be set.

Having thus described our invention, we claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent 1. In apparatus of the class described, amail-bag receiving arm having an offset part adapted to receive and holdan annular member associated with the mail-bag, and provided at saidoffset part with a resilient member adapted to be engaged directly bysaid annular member.

2. In apparatus of the class described, an adjustable rod having amail-bag catching arm, said arm having an elongated, substantiallystraight part, a curved part, and beyond the same a laterally disposedpart secured to said rod, whereby said arm is offset from said rod, saidarm having associated therewith at said offset part a resilient memberconstituting a buffer.

3. In apparatus of the rod having an extension, and oppositely extendingmail-bag catching arms carried by said extension, each of said armsconsisting of a downwardly disposed part, a lateral, outwardly curvedpart, and an upwardly offset, substantially straight part, said firstpart having a resilient extension extending toward said second part andconstituting a bufier.

4. In apparatus of the class described, a member adapted to be mountedupon a railclass described, a

and a reversible cradle removably associated with said support andadapted to receive and hold a mail bag for delivery.

11. In apparatus of the class described, a swinging support adapted tobe removably mounted in the door-way of a railroad car, a reversiblecradle removably mounted upon said support and adapted to receive amailroad car and having a mail-bag catching arm, said arm beingrotatable, and movable in the direction of its length, and means forresiliently holding said member against rotation.

5. In apparatus of the class described, a member adapted to be mountedupon a rail road car and having a mail-bag catching arm, said arm beingrotatable, and movable ag, and means adjustably carried by said 111 thedlrectlon of its length, means for recradle, for holding the mail-bag insuitable siliently holding tion, and means against movement in thelength.

6. In apparatus of the class described, a mail-bag receiving membermovable in the direction of its length and rotatable, means for lockingsaid member against longitudinal movement, and resilient means forholding said member against rotation, said'resilient means beingadjustable.

7. In apparatus of the class described, a socket having a bore, a rodhaving a part slidably and rotatably mounted in said bore, a support forsaid arm, whereby said arm is free to slide and to rotate, means forlocking said arm against movement in the direction of its length, amail-bag catching arm associated with said rod, and a resilientlycontrolled stud associated with said socket and tending to hold said rodagainst rotation.

8. In apparatus of the class described, a socket having a bore, a rodhaving a part slidably and rotatably mounted in said bore, a support forsaid arm, whereby said arm is free to slide and to rotate, means forlocking said arm against movement in the direction of its length, amail-bag catching arm asso ciated with said rod, a resilientlycontrolled stud associated with said socket and tending to hold said rodagainst rotation, and means for adjusting said stud, said arm beinglaterally offset from said rod, whereby a weight imposed upon said armtends to rot-ate said rod.

9. In apparatus of the class described, a socket having a bore, a rodhaving a reduced part rotatable and slidable within said bore, a supporthaving a bore rotatably and slid ably receiving the end of said rodremote from said socket, a barrel carried by said socket, a stud movablewithin said barrel and projecting into said bore, said reduced part ofsaid rod having a recess adapted to be engaged by said stud, a springwithin said barrel engaging said stud, an adjusting member controllingsaid spring, a laterally offset mail-bag catching arm carried by saidrod, and a locking pin associated with said support and adapted to holdsaid rod against movement in the direction of its length.

10. In apparatus of the class described, a swinging support adapted tobe mounted at a door-way of a railroad car and in a normal position inthe plane of the doorway, l

said member against rotafor locking said member direction of ltsposition for operative engagement with a mail-bag catching arm.

12. The combination, with a railroad car having a door-way, of a movablesupport, means for removably mounting said support in said doorway,whereby said support can swing, means for locking said support inposition within said door-way, and a reversible cradle removably carriedby said support and adapted to receive and hold a mail-bag for delivery.

13. In apparatus of the class described, a symmetrical cradle havingmeans at both sides for removably mounting it upon a support, andremovable means carried by said cradle for holding a mail-bag inposition for delivery, said last-mentioned means being adapted to bepositioned at each side of said cradle.

14. In apparatus of the class described, a symmetrical cradle havingmeans at both sides for removably and reversibly positioning it upon asupport, said cradle being formed to carry a mail-bag, and a mail-bagholding member removably associated with said cradle, said cradle havingmeans for removably and resiliently locking said member in position atboth sides of said cradle.

15. In apparatus of the class described, a symmetrical cradle havingmeans at both sides thereof for reversibly and removably securing itupon a support, a cross bar carried by said cradle and provided withopenings, a socket base carried by said cradle and having openings, anda mail-bag holding device having means for resiliently engaging themail-bag and provided with a shank adapted to be removably positioned insaid openings, said cradle having means for resiliently engaging saidshank to lock the same in place.

16. In apparatus of the class described, a symmetrical cradle havingside walls and a front wall, said side walls having means whereby saidcradle can be reversibly and removably mounted upon a suitable support,said front wall having a cross-bar near the upper edge, provided with aplurality of openings, said front wall further having near the loweredge thereof a socket base provided with a plurality of openings, and amailbag holding member having means for resiliently engaging and holdingthe mail-bag, and provided with a shank adapted to be positioned in saidopenings of said cross-bar and said socket base, said socket base havlngat each of said openings a barrel, and a resiliently-projected stud insaid barrel and adapted to engage said shank to hold the same in place.I

17. The combination, with a support having a hook and a staple, of acradle having openings adapted to receive respectively, said hook andsaid staple, and a locking member adapted to be positioned in saidstaple to secure said cradle in place.

18. The combination, with a support having a hook member and a pluralityof staples, of a cradle having a wall provided with openings adapted toreceive respectively, said hook member and either of said staples,whereby said cradle can be reversibly mounted upon said support, saidsuport being provided with a locking member adapted to be inserted ineach of said staples to lock said cradle in place.

19. The combination, with a support having a hook member and a pluralityof staples, of a cradle having a wall provided with openings adapted toreceive respectively, said hook member and either of said staples,whereby said cradle can be reversibly mounted upon said support, saidsupport being provided with a locking member adapted to be inserted ineach of said staples to lock said cradle in place, said cradle having anopening in the wall thereof to permit a hand to be inserted into saidcradle,

and being further provlded with means for removably holding a mail-bagtherein.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.

MILO MONROE llllLLER. GEORGE SOLOMON STEINBERGER. WILLIAM H. HARGRAVES.Witnesses:

FRANK M. Knox, ALBERT MOYER.

